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SOCIAL DISORGANIZATION PERSPECTIVEEarly TheoristsSocial problems as a function of social disorganization (I)Charles H. Cooley (1864-1929)William I. Thomas (1863-1947) and Florian Znaniecki (1882-1958)William Ogburn (1886-1959)ConclusionBackground (1) - After World War I (1914-1918)Problems facing the US societyPovertyDelinquency and crimeMental illnessAlcoholismSuicideMassive scale of issues - limitation of Social Pathology Background (2) - Rapid social changesMigration- Immigrants and in-migrants- Cultural conflict (native vs. new)- Failure to be Americanized

Urbanization- Deviant subculture not found in rural areas (delinquent gangs in cities)

Industrialization- Poor working conditions, unemployment due to technological advances (mass layoff)IntroductionBackground (3) -Sociology as a disciplineTo be more scientific: empirical evidenceOwn 'concepts' and 'definitions'Developed from 'social organization'Organized - society parts stand in ordered relationshipDisorganized - parts get out of phaseCore concept - 'rules' that define society parts and the way parts interrelateSocial Pathology Vs. Social DisorganizationSocial Pathology - failure of individuals and institutions

Social Disorganization- From viewing social problem as problem of a 'social category' to 'the environment' - Study what contribute to the failure of social rules, theory development, precision in methodology, seek knowledge than solutions- More complex, intellectually distinct, systematic explanationSome definitions:Primary group relationsPersonal, intimate, face-to-place relationshipsSource of sentiments, morals ideals (love, ambition, loyalty)[Rural] family, neighborhoodSecondary group relationsLess frequent, impersonal, institutional values (rational, often 'progress')[Urban] employment, businessProblem with social control (1) (Charles H. Cooley)Impact of MigrationMovement from rural to urbanBreakdown of primary group controlsSocial disorganization as the disintegration of "traditions"Absence of social standards --> act upon 'sensibility' and other primitive impulsesProblem with social control (2)- Study US Polish immigrants (1927)- Social disorganization as the breakdown of 'influence' of rules on individuals (not absence)- Conflict of cultures x2Ethnic - Polish vs. USGenerational - Old non-English speaking vs. native bornProblem of migration (1)William I. Thomas & Florian Znaniecki Problem of Migration (2)Polish immigrants either faced no rules or too many rules:No rules - no means of defining ones situation Too many - rules either unclear or in conflict with each otherHow to behave or act in US? Also lack of mutual understanding with native bornResult: Family disorganizationTraditional society - focus on best for the group - 'WE'Urban area - focus on what is best for individual - 'I'New values: hedonistic, being recognized, economic security and advancement, sexual appeal (stand out)'Competing definitions and rules' - both fail to influence conductsProblem of Migration (3)Theory of social changeConcept of 'cultural lag'Different parts of a culture are interdependentIf parts change at different rates - out of phase / disorderNew tools (material gains) accepted more readily than new ideas (rule of game)Material culture changes faster than nonmaterial oneChange in customs and rules

lag behind advancement in technologyProblem of technology?(1) William OgburnInventionNew technology created upon certain level of knowledge and expertise reached, a collective contribution to a cultural baseAccumulation'Growth' of technology as new things invented faster than old one forgotten, some tech (e.g. writings) facilitate this processDiffusionSpread of ideas - between cultural group or from one field to another, diffusion combine inventions to newAdjustmentProcess by which non-technical aspects of a culture respond to invention, any retardation causes cultural lagProblem of technology (2)Four stages of technical development Problems associated with internetInternet addictionCyber bullyingInternet Obscenity Risk associated with online friends/social network Internet crime (crime against/perpetuated with computer: theft of weapons, money laundering)Online infringement of intellectual property right (download)Exposure of privacy“I want everybody here to be careful about what you post on Facebook, because in the YouTube age whatever you do, it will be pulled up again later somewhere in your life. That’s number one.”US President Obama’s adviceEarly TheoristsSocial problems as a function of social disorganization (II)Robert E. Park (1864-1944) and Ernest W. Burgess (1886-1966)Digital Natives vs. Digital ImmigrantsBasis of social organization: tradition and customStability - community, neighborhood, family combine to exercise control over peopleRapid changes in modern society disrupt such influences, undermine authority of traditional social systems Problem with 'ecology' (1)Robert Park and Ernest BurgessProblem with 'ecology' (2)Source of social control?Family and neighborhood Basis of custom and traditionSpontaneous and unreflective responses of individuals to themDiscipline and control – intuition and common senseCommunityMore formal social relations and less intimateWhere rational organizations exist, like church, school and courts, with separate functions definedCommunity – means for the discipline and control of individualsMeasure of delinquency = Failure of community organization to functionRapid changes:Division of laborMachine industryTransportation and communicationOld forms of social control represented by the family, neighborhood and local community undermined and influence diminishedProblem with 'ecology' (3)Weakening of social control - how?Problem with 'ecology' (5)The Ecology of Urban DisorganizationRobert E. L. Faris and H. Warren DunhamProblem with 'ecology' (4)Weakening of social controlZone in transition

(Park, Burgess and McKenzie, 1925) - A zone characterized by boarding houses and transitory businessesSocial problems: vice, poverty, crime, alcoholism, mental illness, broken familiesBreaking down primary group controls – rates of social problems are highest in the center of the city, where social disorganization is highest (rapid social change)Zone associated with mental illness (social isolation etc.)Zone I: Central business district. Stores, business offices, amusement, light industry. Few residents except homeless men on the fringeZone II: Zone in transition. Expanding industrial region on the inner edge. Land values are high due to expected sale, but residential buildings are in a deteriorated state and rent is low. Slums inhabited by unskilled laborers and families. Zone III: Workingmen’s homes. Stable population with higher percentage of skilled laborers and fewer foreign-born and unskilled. Intermediate between slums and residential areas. 2nd generation migrated from Zone II.Zone IV and V: Apartment-house and commuters’ zones. Upper middle class families. Stable residency. Zones retain all characteristics (environment) as different populations (social category: ethnic) flow throughPopulation

constantly shifting: Anonymity and social isolation characterize the social relations in this area; no one knows his neighbors and no one cares what they might think or sayProblem of 'gang' (1)Social Disorganization Approach to Urban Juvenile Delinquency - Economic composition of local communities is negatively related to rates of delinquency. Areas characterized by economic deprivation: High rates of population turnover (left asap)Population heterogeneity (rapid changes in composition made it very difficult to mount concerted resistance against of the influx of new groups)Shaw , Clifford R. and Henry D. McKay 1942/1969 Junveile Delinquency and Urban Areas. 2nd edition Chicago: University of Chicago PressUseful references:Rubington, Earl and Martin Weinberg. 2011. The Study of Social Problems. Seven Perspectives. (7th Edition). New York: Oxford University Press.Bursik, Robert. 1988. “Social Disorganization and Theories of Crime and Delinquency: Problems and Prospects” Criminology 26(4): 519-551. Kubrin, Charis & Ronald Weitzer. 2003. “New Directions in Social Disorganization Theory.” Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency 40(4): 374-402.Sampson, Robert and Byron Groves. 1989. "Community Structure and Crime: Testing Social-Disorganization Theory." American Journal of Sociology 94(4): 774-802Solutions?To put parts of the system that are out of phase back into equilibriumE.g. slowing down technical changes (cutting internet?)Organize the community? Social Capital! Limitations?Over the last two or three decades US civic society has shrunk, and more people are watching TV. Possible explanations for this trend?More women in the workplace (less community bond; no ‘housewife’)Increased mobility of families Changing demographics (single parent, divorce etc.) Recent developmentSocial Capital: Old Wine in New Bottle?Why/How to cultivate social capital?Dense networks of interaction may broaden the participants' sense of self, developing the "I" back into the "we" Enhancing the participants' "taste" for collective benefitE.g. Social Enterprise in Hong Kong?Social capital and social control Examples of operationalizationIs social capital measurable?Respondents were asked how strongly they agreed [Social cohesion and trust]“people around here are willing to help their neighbors,” “this is a close-knit neighborhood,” “people in this neighborhood can be trusted,” “people in this neighborhood generally don’t get along with each other,” “people in this neighborhood do not share the same values”Residents were also asked about the likelihood that their neighbors could be counted on to intervene if:children were skipping school and hanging out on a street corner, children were spray-painting graffiti on a local building, children were showing disrespect to an adult, a fight broke out in front of their house, and the fire station closest to their home was threatened with budget cuts.Sampson, Robert, Stephen Raudenbush & Felton Earls 1997. “Neighborhoods and Violent Crime: A Multilevel Study of Collective Efficacy,” Science 277(5328): 918-924.Marshall B. Clinard : A Disorganizing Concept (textbook)1. 'Disorganization' too subjective and vague for analysis. 2. Why (only) some social changes are disorganization? 3. Social disorganization = bad? Value judgment? Consensus really exists? 4. Deviant behavior not necessarily are major threat to central values of a society (e.g. alcoholism, suicide, crime)5. Disorganization can be 'highly organized systems of competing norms' - subcultures are often highly organized6. Variety of subculture may contribute, via diversity, to the unity or integration of a society than weaken itIn addition: Unit of analysis shift to group dynamic (ecological) than individual (motivation, structural); assume stable ecological structure; measurement - bias in official report, disproportional law enforcement attention to certain neighborhoodLimitations?Problem of technology (3) Example: Digital native vs digital immigrantSource: techieintraining-melissa.blogspot.comProf.Shek, in a radio interview, suggested parents not to install broadband, and 56K was enough for academic study. He insisted not to installed one for his son - to prevent internet addiction, playing games, accessing dangerous information.IndividualizationThe process by which the authority and influence of an earlier culture and system of social control is undermined and eventually destroyed= social disorganizationHabits Formed only in stable environment, instability (e.g. high mobility) breakup routines, and the social organization that rest on it Every new device (discovery, invention, idea e.g. car) or migration that affects social life and social routine is a disorganizing influence and ultimately demoralizingProblem of 'gang' (2) - Intervening dimension of social disorganization?- Follow Shaw and McKay's early work- Ability of a community to supervise and control teenage peer groups (e.g. gangs)- Delinquency as primarily a group phenomenon- Gangs developed from unsupervised spontaneous play groups- Cohesive communities better able to control teenage behaviors and group dynamics within- What leads to weak control of group dynamics???Intervening dimension of social disorganization?Sampson, Robert and Byron Groves. 1989. "Community Structure and Crime: Testing Social-Disorganization Theory." American Journal of Sociology 94(4): 774-802Sampson, Robert and Byron Groves. 1989. "Community Structure and Crime: Testing Social-Disorganization Theory." American Journal of Sociology 94(4): 774-802Problem of...- social control - primary and secondary group?- migration?- technology? - ecology / environment?- neighborhood group dynamic (gang)?